Open Rank, Non-Tenure Track Academic Professional or Sr. Academic Professional Faculty Position in the School of Physics – Job ID 276932

Job Summary

The School of Physics (https://physics.gatech.edu/) at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia invites applications for an open rank, non-tenure track Academic Professional or Sr. Academic Professional faculty position in Physics. Applicants will be considered at all ranks. This position involves student advising, mentoring, or other student success activities and demonstrated competence in introductory astronomy/astrophysics instruction (at the calculus-based level). The successful candidate will join a team of 52 faculty (eight are non-tenure track) with broad research interests, including physics education, and will be a member of the Center for Relativistic Astrophysics. The School of Physics is planning to launch a new undergraduate major in Astrophysics in Fall 2025, and the successful candidate will be instrumental in implementing and developing this exciting new program. In addition, ideal candidates will have experience with observational techniques and outreach activities using small optical telescopes. Candidates are expected to demonstrate an exceptional commitment to the teaching and mentoring of students.

Georgia Tech prides itself on its technological resources, collaborations, high-quality student body, and its commitment to building an outstanding and diverse community of learning, discovery, and creation. We strongly encourage applicants whose values align with our institutional values, as outlined in our Strategic Plan. These values include academic excellence, diversity of thought and experience, inquiry and innovation, collaboration and community, and ethical behavior and stewardship. Georgia Tech has policies to promote a healthy work-life balance and is aware that attracting faculty may require meeting the needs of two careers.

Job Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities for this position will be:

• Teach three courses per year and contribute to curriculum development,
• Advise undergraduate students pursuing degrees in physics and/or astrophysics,
• Manage and oversee the operation of the rooftop observatory, including initiating activities to enhance and upgrade observatory facilities as needed.
• Develop and implement a sustained public outreach effort that makes use of the rooftop observatory and other School and Institute resources.
• The successful candidate may also teach upper-level laboratories and TA (Teaching Assistant) development courses depending on their expertise and curricular needs.

Location

Atlanta, Georgia

Minimum and Preferred Qualifications

This position vacancy is an open rank announcement.  The final job offer will be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Non-tenure Track Academic Faculty ranks as outlined in section 3.2.2 of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook: https://www.policylibrary.gatech.edu/faculty-handbook/3.2.2-non-tenure-track-academic-faculty-members-hiring-and-promotion-guidelines.

Minimum Education / Experience Qualifications

For all ranks, a PhD in Astronomy, Physics, or related field is required.

Rank of Academic Professional

Significant related experience or promotion from the rank of Associate Academic Professional (or equivalent title)

Quality of performance and potential development must be recognized by peers

Rank of Senior Academic Professional

Evidence of superior performance in the chosen field

Recognition by peers (whether national, regional, or local)

Successful and measurable related experience

Five (5) years or more as an Academic Professional (or equivalent title)

Preferred Qualifications

 Ideal candidates will have experience in student advising, mentoring, or other student success activities and demonstrated competence in introductory astronomy/astrophysics instruction (at the calculus-based level). In addition, ideal candidates will have experience with observational techniques and outreach activities using small optical telescopes.

Student Success Criteria  

1. The ability to teach and mentor a diverse student body
2. The ability to promote an inclusive and welcoming educational/work environment
3. The ability to mentor and assist students interested in pursuing graduate education
4. The ability to design and teach curricula that are responsive to a diverse student body
5. The ability to adopt teaching strategies that support the learning and success of all students
6. The ability to engage students in experiential learning activities and pedagogy that support student success
7. The ability to engage in high-impact practices that support deep learning for student success
8. Has expertise in teaching, scholarship, and/or service that contributes to access, diversity, and equal opportunity in higher education

Application Requirements  

Applicants should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching, outreach and advising philosophy, a summary of teaching and outreach experiences, a sample course syllabus or a portfolio of teaching products. The applicants should also include the references’ names and contact information in the application packet. 

In addition, applicants should arrange for at least three confidential reference letters to be submitted on the candidate's behalf directly to phys-apfacultysearch@gatech.edu.

Application materials should be submitted as .PDF files only via https://hr.gatech.edu/careers. Please search for Job ID 276932

Contact Information

 Requests for information may be directed to Dr. David Ballantyne by email to

phys-apfacultysearch@gatech.edu. Applications will be considered beginning December 31, 2024, but the search will continue until the positions are filled.

The candidate of choice will be required to pass a pre-employment background screening. http://policylibrary.gatech.edu/employment/pre-employment-screening.

 About Georgia Tech  

Georgia Tech is a top-ranked public research university situated in the heart of Atlanta, a diverse and vibrant city with numerous economic and cultural strengths. The Institute serves more than 45,000 students through top-ranked undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs in engineering, computing, science, business, design, and liberal arts. Georgia Tech’s faculty attracted more than $1.4 billion in research awards this past year in fields ranging from biomedical technology to artificial intelligence, energy, sustainability, semiconductors, neuroscience, and national security. Georgia Tech ranks among the nation’s top 20 universities for research and development spending and No. 1 among institutions without a medical school. 

Georgia Tech’s Mission and Values  

Georgia Tech’s mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do: 

• Students are our top priority.
• We strive for excellence.
• We thrive on diversity.
• We celebrate collaboration.
• We champion innovation.
• We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
• We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
• We act ethically.
• We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact. 

About the School of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology  

The School of Physics at Georgia Tech currently has 52 faculty (eight are non-tenure track), and its graduate program is ranked 21st in the nation by US News and World Report. The School has a broad research program with strengths in astrophysics, condensed matter, atomic, molecular and optical physics, physics of living systems, nonlinear science and soft matter physics. The School is also a key player in interdisciplinary initiatives established within Georgia Tech, such as quantum systems, neuroscience, microbial dynamics, planetary sciences, and data science/machine learning. Its diverse student body comprises more than 130 graduate students and 300 undergraduate Physics majors.

USG Core Values Statement 

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653. 

Equal Employment Opportunity  

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services.  Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions.  This prohibition applies to faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including affiliates, invitees, and guests. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

More information on these policies can be found here: https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/c2714  Board of Regents Policy Manual | University System of Georgia (usg.edu).